HISTORY OF POINT PLACE

NOTE:IF YOU HAVE ANY OLD PHOTOS OR INFO ABOUT PP, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND MAYBE I CAN ADD THEM TO THIS WEB SITE. ALSO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD SIGN THE MEMORY BOOK USING THE E-MAIL BUTTON ON THE LEFT. ALSO LET ME KNOW IF ONE OF THE LINKS DOESN'T WORK. THANKS

How did Point Place get its name? It's really rather simple.
The land between where the Maumee River and the Ottawa River flow into Maumee
Bay is a peninsula or point, which forms a place. Thus the name--Point Place. Its location is 41°43'8"N 83°28'46"W. Point
Place was a once major tourist attraction. Steamers cruised up the Maumee River
and into the Ottawa River bringing visitors to picnic, swim, rent boats or
fish. Hotels, taverns, restaurants and other small businesses were built to accommodate
the growing crowds. Trolley cars carried passengers from Toledo to the Point.
The roads were gradually improved and the owners of the many small businesses
built year-round homes becoming less of a resort area and more a regular
neighborhood. Over the years, PP has changed from a farming and summer cottage area
into a small town and then a suburb.The
lake has eaten pieces of the Point from time to time and one original settler lost
82 of his original 242 acres to erosion.

After its annexation into the City of Toledo (1937) and World War II, the
Point really started growing as a pleasant, middle-class community for those
who wanted the comforts of the city but the benefits of a small-town lakeside
community. Today, people still enjoy the unique atmosphere of Point Place
making it--The Best Place Any Place. And now for the Point Place History...... (click on the different colored texts for pictures or more information)

About 500 A.D.-- Indians used Gard Island as a cemetery as shown by excavations led by UT anthropology professor David M. Stothers in the mid-1970s when he found the remains of 47 individuals buried on Gard Island. This dated from the Late Woodland period, which begins about the year 500. Also known as Indian Island, Woodtick Peninsula with prehistoric significance during 499-0 BC, 499-0 AD, 1000-500 AD, 1499-1000 AD with the Riviere au Vase, Early Late Woodland eras.

Early 1700's -- Gard
Island, Indian Island, Squaw Island, Bay Point and Turtle Island were
inhabited by Indians but because of the thriving fishing industry carried
on in Lake Erie, many encounters occurred between the Indians and the
French Settlers in lower Michigan Gard Island was then completely taken
over by the French and given the name Gard, which is the French word for
guard. The island was used to protect the fishing fleet in that area.
Later the Indians were completely driven off all these islands, but there
still remains on Gard Island evidence of the old Indians' burial grounds.
In 1894 the Toledo Fish Company operated on this island and in 1895
the Toledo Gard Island Ice Company built ice houses. In 1898 George
and Valentine Ketcham had their summer estates on this island.

1784>--Indians defeated by General Wayne settled on the borders of the Maumee Bay near Toledo (?Point Place).

1807 --According to the treaty of November 17 negotiated with the Ottawa, Chippewa, Wyandot, and Potawatomi, a tract of land comprising roughly the southeast quarter of the lower peninsula of Michigan and a small section of Ohio north of the Maumee River was ceded to the United States. It contained two Ottawa villages--Mesheman and Waugan. To get a better understanding of this treaty, you can check out the web page.

1808 --About the spot
where Bay View Park now stands, Pontiac’s widow, Kan-tuck-ee-gum,
(Kan-tuck-ee-gun [fl. 1807-1815], Odawa Nation, married Pontiac; mother of one daughter and sons Otussa, Kasahda, Njikwisena, Shegenaba; lived on Lake Erie at the mouth of the Maumee [Miami] River with Otussa from 1807 to c.1815; Otussa lived there in 1825 Taken from a first nations web site)ruled
over an Indian encampment with her son Otussa. They ruled many years and
settling of the Point on a big scale was impossible. The War of 1812 ended
that. When the US beat the British and put an end to Indian conspiracy
against white settlers, Point Place’s history really started. The Ottawa
Indians were found in the territory of Point Place as late as 1837 but were removed to the West at this time. "Mash-Kee Otussa" was chief of those living on the West side of
the Maumee River. He was prominent as an orator. The territory was bounded by 310th on the east, 304th on
the west, 135th on the south and the Ottawa River on the north. See
1826 and 1837 below.
At one time the land was used mostly for orchards and farms. Near 105th
there was a very large peach orchard which was gradually washed away by
storms. The chief occupations of the early settlers were letting summer
cottages and fishing. The cottages that were at one time on high ground
are now washed away due to the storms of Maumee Bay. Most of the roads
were mud. In the Spring, the single road was almost impossible. A half
dozen families constituted the population of PP which was then called
Ottawa River.
There were many farms and not many houses. Most of the land from 131st to
Ten Mile Creek and Mud Jaw belonged to the Shanteau and Petee fmilies, and
the other side belonged to the Reno's. Some of the first settlers were:
Robideau, Eli Freeman, Nate Dominack, Canvip, George Keiser, Thomas
Anteau, Eli Shanteau, Joseph Reno, Jacob Applegate, Andrew Shump, Michael
Lutz and Major William Leflet. The first settlers made their living by
hunting, fishing and trapping. No better grounds were to be found in the
state. Hundred of dollars worth of pelts and fish were taken from Ten Mile
Creek. One of the first white men to locate in what is now Washington
Township was William Sibley, who came from Monroe Country, NY.in 1817.

1820--By an act of
Congress in April, the price of public lands in PP was set at $1.20 an
acre.

1826 Indian Ottokee,
original owner of the land at the mouth of the Maumee River known as the
Manhattan District sold the 800 acres to the Buffalo Syndicate for $15 an
acre.

1827--Turtle Island
sold at public sale on July 10 to Edward Bissell of New York. At the time
of this sale the island was said to contain 6.68 acres. (Note: In 1837 it
was about 1 ½ acres and by 1839 was half that.) He sold it back to the
government in 1831 for $300.

1827--The section now called Point Place was originally granted to the state of Indiana on March 2 to aid the state in building the Wabash and Erie canal and was divided into lots of about 60 acres each. Land was afterwards sold to Ohio by Indiana.

1831 --Turtle Island lighthouse was built on a natural island was named after Little Turtle, the great Chief of the Miami Indians. Fortified by the
British in 1794 but abandoned after the War of 1812. In 1866 the tower and
dwelling were rebuilt of Milwaukee brick, the best of its time. Turtle Island; Pictures ; Lake Erie Light
houses ; More Info
; Aerial
photos Or you can check out Turtle Island Lighthouses on a search
engine

1833--Treaty assigning ownership of lands in northern Ohio (including what is now Point Place) was signed. This treaty mentions names and money paid and the various signatures (or X's) of some involved. More treaty information.

1835 -- What is known
as the "Toledo War" arose from a disagreement between the State of Ohio
and the United States, in regard to the boundary line between that State
and the Territory of Michigan. Under the act of Congress of 1802,
authorizing the boundary line. In 1805 the Territory of Michigan was
established by Congress with its boundary. The lines did not agree but
this was not a problem until 1835 when Ohio found it necessary to fix upon
a Northern outlet for the Miami and Erie Canal, then in the course of
construction. It being necessary to reach the waters of Lake Erie within
the disputed territory, the question of boundary became urgent. The
Territory of Michigan Territorial Legislature passed an act making it a
penal offense for any person to assume to exercise official authority
there. Following this, came military demonstrations .on both sides, which
were more or less threatening. A few arrests were made and much bitterness
provoked, but the matter was soon resolved by referring the dispute to
Congress. The result was the confirmation of the Ohio claim and the
admission of Michigan into the Union with an extension of its Northern
boundary to include the upper peninsula and the country lying along the
shore of Lake Superior and the rich mining region of that section.

1835 -- George Engel
was able to purchase 80.2 acres on Aug 7. for $25 an acre from Robert
Navaree who had received a 10-mile strip along the Ottawa River as a gift
from Ottawa Indians.. The deed bears the names of Aushcush and Kentuckee,
Ottawa Chiefs of the last Indian reservation north of the Maumee River.
The transfer of property was signed by President Jackson on 2-4-36. It was
choice land and high above the Black Swamp. Nearby was the station for the
Detroit stage coach line, boat docks and a hotel. The Ottawas still
occupied their Shantee Creek village. The log cabin was replaced by a
large frame house which later burned and was rebuilt in 1917. The
remodeled house still stands 2191 Shoreland Ave.

1836 In May, Aush-cush and Kee-tuck-kee, Ottawa Chiefs sold to Daniel Chase for $2000, 160 acres, consisting of lands reserved to them under the treaty of 1833, and lying on the North side of Ottawa Creek, and above the place where Aush-cush then lived. The land between Ottawa River and Havre Bay (Maumee Bay) was called Ottawa Point at this time.

1837--Toledo became an
incorporated city and the white settlers took the final steps in driving
the Indians out of Point Place. Mash-Kee Otussa had succeeded to the
ruling title of the tribe but he could not talk the "white
father" in Washington out of ordering the Indians deported.

1838--The water level
attained by Lake Erie was the greatest ever reached according the
government records.

Middle l800's --A
young black man named Billy Warner purchased 120 acres (by late 1800's it
was close to 60 acres as some sold or reclaimed by the lake) In 1866 built
Warner's Roadhouse (5946 Edgewater). It was the first restaurant in Point
Place. His daughter Sarah and husband Gus Johnson ran the restaurant and
renamed it Johnson's Restaurant in 1870. It burned down in 1970. The son
was given land and sold it to J. C. Carland and it became the Carland
Beach Addition.

1854--A gazetteer of the United States by John Hayward writes under Ohio Lighthouses--"Turtle Island on said island...Fixed. Height of latern about the sea, 41 feet."

@1860-80 -- Edgewater
Park incorporated. The double deck steamer Pastime made 3 0r 4 daily trips from downtown to here. Built in Toledo in 1898
by the Conrad Building Company, the Pastime ended up a garbage
scow hauling garbage to Lake Erie for the City of Detroit.

1862--House built at 5524 Edgewater

1870's It was believed
house at what is now 5172 Ottawa River built. At one time the land was
used mostly for orchards and farms. Near 105th there was a very large peach
orchard which was gradually washed away by storms. The chief occupations
of the early settlers were letting summer cottages and fishing. The
cottages that were at one time on high ground are now washed away due to
the storms of Maumee Bay. Most of the roads were mud. In the Spring, the
single road was almost impossible. A half dozen families constituted the
population of PP which was then called Ottawa River.

1875 --1875 Mrs. Rille
Mominee came to the Point with her husband. House was next to 6212 Edgewater.

1877--Hoffmann Farm was built on what is now 2132 Ottawa River Road. House in 1890. House in 1949-50.

1878--Toledo Yacht
Club named. Previous to this date more interest was taken in rowing than
in sailing and Toledo had many sailing clubs. Gard Island at this time was
owned by a man named Quick who allowed the watchmen to land on the island
and fish in the channel. A small frame clubhouse was built and used as
such for 12 years until 1890 when a more pretentious building was built.

1883 -- The PP Resort (constructed from 1883-85 and closed by 1888) was built by D.W.Gibbs & Co. The resort was advertised as a "safe place to go with your children" and "no improper persons" were allowed on the premises. There was a hotel ($8.00 per week), dancing pavilion, a floating bathing house, mineral water wells, a clubhouse with billiard tables and the Windmill Fountain Lunch Stand. All of this would be reached by 6 miles on a carriage or 12 miles by water on the steamers "Mascotte" or "Swansea." The drawings were done by David Stine, Gibbs' son-in-law and are the only evidence of the existence of the PP Resort which was probably destroyed by a storm or flooding.

1884 Maumee Inner Front Light was erected. There were two lights at this location, which was 1,240 feet from the Maumee Bay Outer Front Light. The taller tower was the Outer Rear Light (height and focal plane 64 feet), while the shorter tower was the Inner Front Light (height and focal plane 25 feet). It was Red, square, pyramidal skeleton tower; two black lanterns and watchrooms, on an "artificial island" (detached pier). Was deactivated in the l950's and now destroyed.

Late 1880's -- Saxon
Park was built on 6 lots around what is now 2863-115th. It was originally began as a hunting club, it became a popular German social club. Consisted of an upstairs bedroom, bath and kitchen. Downstairs was primarily for dining and dancing. Toledoans would take the trolley from downtown Toledo to Bay View Park then spend and extra five cents to get to 115th. As club membership increased, so did the complaints of home owners as the residential area grew. With the annexation of the Point, the zoning was changed from commercial to residential and the Park was eventually closed around 1940.

1887--Crites house built at 5764 Lakeside.

1892--House built at 3254-138th

1893-- Toledo acquired
90 acres of land near the mouth of the Maumee River for a park and so
named if Guoin Park because the land included a reservations granted to
Leon Guoin by government treaty of 1833. It was once the site of an Ottawa
Indian Village. In 1898 the park area increased to 202 acres and
the name was changed to Bay View Park.

early 1900's -- William Gertz purchased land across from Edgewater
Park and erected a summer restaurant and hotel called Billy Gertz's
restaurant. He also had oil well drilled on his farm. William C. Gertz was born August 3, 1859 in Germany and died February 27, 1932. His wife was Sophia M. Eikost (born November 8, 1858 in Germany) and died March 22, 1939.
People canoed on the river.

1902--Houses built at 5758 Lakeside, 5902 Lakeside, 3228-137th, and 3248-138th.

1903 --Toledo Yacht
Club erected building at Bay View Park. Before 1905, there was only one
street car running from Toledo to Point Place. Also the Toledo News Bee reported in Oct. that workhouse convicts might be working under guard at Bay
View Park to clean up the area as there is no money in the park fund to employ other labor. Attempts to escape would be severly dealt with.

1904--Toledo Harbor Light was completed and Turtle Island was abandoned as a lighthouse on May 15 and then sold in December to Captain John Craig.
Original Barbier & Benard (3-1/2)° Fresnel lens, removed in the late 1990s, is reported on loan to Toledo's COSI science museum. Tower and building's roof painted black. Brick fog signal building attached as an annex to the keeper's quarters. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. In 2003, the Toledo Harbor Light Society was formed to work for preservation and restoration of the lighthouse. Located on a stone-filled concrete crib in the mouth of the harbor off Harbor View. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard.
House built at 3045-135.

1905--Thompson’s Inn was
built by stockholders from the Home Brewing Company. When the hotel was originally built it was called The Young Point Place Hotel Eagles Cafe & Restaurant and the owners were Fred J. Young and William Martin Eikost.
Prize fights were held in the back and moved across the line into Michigan when the sheriff tried to stop them. Possibly around the same time the stores on Edgewater were built which were later run by Clarence & Stella Eikost and the one later run by Ed Ellis

1906--Toledo Yacht
Club burned to the ground on Feb. 5.

@1906 -- John Koella,
born of a gifted musical and photographic Toledo in 1874 built house at
Summit and 113th. He used it for a music studio and many of the rooms were
small for this reason. Many of the original porches were cut off when the
house was moved to 2726-114th around 1947.

1907--Houses built at
3045-116th, 3033-135, 3215-135 and 30 Edgewater Park.

1912 --King's Store
was built at 5918 Lakeside and used as a grocery store. The main addition
was added in 1919. Floor joists were the oak planks used for the arena at
Bay View Park which was built specially for the Willard-Dempsey fight of
1919. Lower store room had tin ceilings. King's Ice Yacht Club met and
started there. This later became the Toledo Ice Yacht Club. It was a
recreational hall and legal gambling and dance hall in the 20's and 30's
before PP went into the city of Toledo, where gambling was prohibited.
Afterwards, it became an ice cream parlor and in later years a
neighborhood grocery store. Also one of many times, Willow Beach flooded.

1913 --Kleis home
located at 4904 Summit at 116th was built for C. A. Kleis who owned Point
Place Bank across the street.

1915—The Singleton Building
a triangular-shaped commercial building was built at what is now 5902 Edgewater.It was purchased by Charles & Emma
Singleton and in 1920 they opened Singleton’s Grocery Store. In 1945 he was sold to Preston & Myrtle
Gibbs and became Gibbs Hardware.

1918 -- One of the
first permanent homes built in the area at what is now 3232-134.

1919 --Jess
Willard-Jack Dempsey Heavyweight 12-round title bout at Bay View Park July 4. The $130,000.00
arena was 600 ft. in diameter-34 ft. high-two and a half times larger than
San Francisco arena and four times larger than Reno arena of that time.
There were 24 miles of seats accomodating 80,000 people-4800 posts
supporting seats on foundation to carry 14,000,000 pounds live weight and the wire fence outside arena one-half mile long.
Perhaps the biggest sporting attraction ever held in Toledo. Temperatures reached 114 degrees at 3:30 the scheduled time for the bout to start. Champion Jess Willard outweighed challenger Jack Dempsey by 60 pounds and was half a foot taller yet Dempsey won when Willard did not answer the bell for the 4th round. Only about 19,650 attended the fight.

1919--Point Place Junior High School was started
in 1919 and finished in the fall of 1920 at a
cost of $210,000 on the southeast corner of Summit and 131st. It was
described at the first fire-proof school in the Point. It was built on a
site previously occupied by a two room, red brick school house, possibly
the first school in Point Place. The Junior High closed in 1936 (?) and
later housed a teen town,a book binder, and other businesses
until it was razed and replaced 46 years later by Sawicki Apartments in
1965.

1920’s Telephone lines installed. Street cars only went as far as Summit & Erie. Then there was jitney bus service to the Point. Bay View Park was an airport for a short time. There were two tee hangers located at the north end of the park across from 4th green.

1920 --Point Place started to receive city water and
first apartment house was built at what is now 2803-131. King’s Place or King’s Yacht Club, organized. The original King family came from England in the 1800’s. First built as combination grocery store and recreation hall. Contained a soda fountain, slot machines and dice tables which were all legal then. Although beer was sold legally, many stories are told how whiskey was smuggled across the lake from Canada and unloaded in PP during Prohibition since PP was outside the city limits. With annexation, gambling was no longer allowed.

1921-- Lucas County Commissioners signed contract for a 20-mile $368,000 sewer system to serve Point Place and contiguous territory. Sable drive (116th)was paved. H. V. Armstrong had grocery store at 6202 Edgewater and there was a Kroger store on 131st.

1922 --House at 5952
Edgewater built by Peter and Alice Poole on land owned by Alice's mother,
Sarah Johnson. See Johnson roadhouse above mid 1800's

1923 -- The first Point Place fire truck was put into operation on May 7. The station was located on the corner of Summit & 114th street where the flag shop is now located. The Volunteer fire department was started because of the passage of an ordinance by the Toledo council in which it was decided the city would charge so much per hour for all trips to Point Place. There was $5000 invested in equipment and 27 volunteer firemen working without pay covering territory about 17 miles by 6 miles.
The report of a fire was given by telephone to the operator at the Edgewater exchange who relayed them to someone who sounded a siren at the fire station. Chief Baertschi was always on the job. If any volunteer fireman failed to attend a fire and had no good excuse, he was fined $1 or had to wash the boots and coats of other firemen. Money for upkeep was from proceeds of the Firemen’s Ball held at Point Place School

1925 --Point Place
Bank built at 4901 Summit (corner 116th) by C.A. Kleis. It closed during
the depression after Mr. Kleis's death. Re-opened as Bank Café
for 1-2 years before becoming Sutton's Confectionary (ice
cream and candy) for about 20 years.

1925 --Picture of first grade class
at ?? school and Bill & Fritz Komorny.

1926-Alice Koplin was
teaching piano in her home at 5309 Edgewater. Neumeyer's had "good
things to eat" at 5912 Edgewater. In Aug. second annual Frolic of
Point Place was held at the rear of Fred A. Armstrong office on Edgewater.
There was a ferris wheel, swings, merry-go-round.

Jan. 1927 --Edgewater
Gas & Light Company explosion. Seven died and 9 others were injured
when the Kleis Grocery Building blew up. Also destroyed a meat market, the
apartments above and the barber shop of Thomas Hunter .

1927 Kleis and
Edgewater Schools were built with eight classrooms and combined
auditoriums/gymnasiums at a cost of around $90,000 each. Kleis opened in
Nov. and Edgewater a month later. The name Kleis came upon the
recommendation of civic, church groups and other organizations. August
Kleis died in 1931 was a resident land owner, farmer and developer at a
one time might have owned the land the school upon which the school was
built. He had purchased 14 acres of land in this area for 1881 for $2,000.
Kleis was closed in 1980 and its students were sent to Edgewater and
Ottawa River Schools. Edgewater addition and repairs were done in 1961-62
at a cost of $221,313.

1928--Kleis Building
built at 4912 Summit to replace the building that was demolished in gas
explosion on 1-22-27. Owned by prominent businessman and real estate
developer, C. August Kleis. It was the very first building to have gas
line hook-ups in PP.

1928-- On 9-29 the Shoreway Theater along with 6 retail stores and a gas station erected by Eugene Gladieux opened on Summit Street. The feature film was "Baby Mine" and an "Our Gang" comedy. The floor of the lobby had tiles brought from Italy. The viewing room was 60 X 140 and had 800 seats. Cost of the theater was $150,000 and owned by Ivy and Emmerson Simmons who lived in the 2800 block of 118th. It was operated by Harry Albright. On Nov. 1, the street car lines which ran since 1903(?)from the casino to Point Place were replaced by buses which ran from Lasalle & Summit to PP. Webers Glassless Tavern opened. Outside -- Inside -- 1965 Tornado Damage

1930’s-- WPA paved streets. Street car tracks were torn out and bus service began. Brothel in apartment house at 131st and Summit according to rumor. Dick’s General Store where Dr. Zohn’s office is now. Church bells at St. John’s were wooden. Werkman’s Market at Summit and 124th. Atwood Grocery & Post Office 116th near Summit.

1930 Point Place High School built on the north
side of 131st at a cost of over $123,000 on land donated by "65-year
old Grandpa Freeheart." Prior to this, high school students attended
school outside of Point Place, primarily at Waite High School. In 1937 it was converted into a junior high school
when the Point was annexed to Toledo. Senior high students residing in
Washington Township were transferred to Whitmer High School and Toledo
students were transferred to Waite. The school was closed in 1980 and
Point Place students were then sent to the new Leverette Junior High
School. It was demolished in the fall of 1989.

1932 16,000 cubic yards of dirt from the end of Madison avenue was dumped into one of the lagoons which added 17 acres to Bayview Park.

1933—Summit Street was
paved. Before that the only route
from Galena Street was a one-lane, mud-filled road.
At the time it was easier to bring building
materials and supplies by boat rather than use the road. The City
Directory listed the following businesses on 131st Street: 3035-Old Mill
Tavern, 3156-A & P.

1935 Toledo City Council voted down annexation of PP to Toledo. A & P Store was built at 4844 N. Summit.(see Businesses below for picture)

1936 -- The Naval
Armory opened in Oct. 100,000 square feet. Construction was started in 1934 under the WPA and cost $700,000. 80% of the building was used materials such as bricks and stone. Naval Armory opened with gala ball sponsored by the Toledo Yacht Club. It could accommodate 4000 dancers at one time. In 1935 during the construction of the Armory, Artist Paul Breisach was commissioned to paint mural wall panels of the War of 1812. The panels covered 67 feet of the wall and were 7 ½ feet high. On Oct. 1, 400 street lights were shut off due to lack of agreement with the Toledo Edison. Contract expired Jan 1 and the lights were furnished with no payment. They did not come back on again until March 18, 1937. Ten lights did burn near Summit & 131st because they were provided under a separate contract.

June 27, 1940-First
election of the board of Trustees of Washington Township was held at the
home of John Mallet. Forties also brought lots of boats to the yacht clubs. This is what Turtle Island looked like in the late 40's or early 50's. Litehouse with Gloria Bailleux & Chuck DeVore at top. #2 view

1955 Ski's Garage at 3125 131st (Now Mel's Garage) opened by my parents, Stanley & Shirley Zielinski, after construction work in the fall of 1954. Previously Ski repaired cars behind their house at 5565 308.Front (taken about 1945) with house in background no longer there just an empty lot and back with garage.

1965 April 11--Palm Sunday Outbreak that caused 256 deaths, over 1500 injuries, and $200 million in damage over Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The third tornado of three (207-260 mph)moved over the northern part of Toledo, Ohio and across the Lost Peninsula. Two deaths and 29 injuries occurred in Monroe County. There were 16 deaths reported in Ohio. Picture

1987--Point Place Heritage Society started. I want to thank them for the use of their many articles which make up a lot of this information.

1998 The storm event of April 9 produced the highest recorded Lake Erie elevation at Point Place.